Chloe of the Night
by blackindiaink
Summary: During a night out Chloe is bitten by a vampire. What if she isn't the only one?**This is a collaboration between myself and walkthatlonesomevalley** Updates weekly if all goes well.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

I stumbled into the wall I couldn't see. I swear it wasn't there a second ago. Maybe I'd had too much to drink… again. Maybe I was just clumsy. Na, had to be the first one because I'm super graceful. Trying not to think is hard, especially when you're trying not to think about something. Whatever you don't want to think about just becomes more persistent. So, that's why I drank too much tonight and the night before and the night before that.

The faint smell of a cologne I couldn't identify wafted towards me, making me scrunch my nose up. I remembered something about the smell. Yes, it was the guy I'd been flirting with. He appeared as if summoned. He was close, right behind me. I tried to turn my head as I leaned against the wall but I could feel my hair brush his face and I swiveled my head back around. He was kind of creepy now and I didn't like the way this was going. Aubrey warned me about this kind of thing over and over and I always blew off her concern because she was overprotective.

I tried to step away but his arm snaked around my stomach and he pulled me back. "Hey!" Liquor took away my coordination and most of my brain was focusing on the danger signal going off in my mind. Yeah, I liked to get to know people. I might even have a bit of a reputation for getting to know them really well, really quickly but this was not what I wanted so I pushed off of him yelping when his arm muscles flexed and he kept me in place. "That hurt, you jerk!" My hands flew down to where he was gripping me and I pulled at his skin but nothing happened. "Let me go!" Instead of freedom I felt his breath close to her ear.

"No," he hissed. "I've wanted you all night." His free hand came up to pull my hair aside and his nose brushed the skin of my neck, causing me to shiver. "You have such energy," he said. The tone of his voice was so different from how it sounded before when we were just talking. I almost couldn't believe it. His tone shifted completely from this smooth calm accented drawl, until it was dark and edged with the growl of a predator.

"Get away from me!" I tried, but no one saw me or heard.

I was alone again. So stupid.

Sometimes I just needed to get out but there was no way to do that without being alone. And here I was now, in the arms of a dangerous strong man. My mind was torn. Should I scream? Should I yell? Should I push him? Should I bite?

There was nothing. Nothing.

I couldn't move, for some reason. I couldn't do anything.

"You'll like me," he said. And I felt myself calm in the moment. I felt, for a moment, that he was right.

"Maybe," I said, drunken now on the thought and feel of him and what could happen. Some men liked to play and it wasn't malicious. Perhaps he was like that?

I did like men, especially handsome men, but usually by now I'd have sent him away if I wasn't feeling his attitude or the way his breath seemed to smell of something I couldn't place or the way his touch seemed to be rough in a purposeful way. There was something about him that wouldn't let me hate him and it was so oddly peculiar that I couldn't even begin to understand it. It was just this feeling really. He spoke and I believed him.

Not long after that he had led me out of the bar and down an alley. He was so strong, he could've easily hoisted me up onto his shoulders and walked me out like it was normal but all he needed was to push me before him and walk. He was behind me but he was leading. For whatever reason, I obeyed him and I somewhat wanted to.

"Here," he said, deliciously. I looked up at him and noticed a strange sparkle in his eye. I hadn't seen it before but it was there now. It filled me up with lust and I felt myself become insanely attracted to him.

"You should leave me alone," I tried defiantly, but I was smiling and I knew it. He could see that. I could feel that I wanted him and he _could_ see that. There was something about this particular man. I wanted him to touch me, to kiss me, to taste me and have me for his own. And it wasn't love, that was clear. From the second the air hit my face outside I was aware that it was lust. Only that sparkle solidified it and made things intense like it was all some popular game.

"You don't want that. I know you don't," he breathed huskily. He reminded me of a beast. You know, if a beast could talk or even come close to making words.

My body slammed hard against the outer brick wall of the bar and I felt his hands so large against my torso as he pushed into me and felt me up without asking. I rarely felt small with men but with him I was minuscule.

"I'm going to love the taste of you," he flirted dangerously. It should've scared me but all I felt was that need for him deep inside. I wanted more than his taste. I wanted his everything.

All he said was that sentence, and, just like that, he pushed into me again until I was trapped between him and the wall. Pleasure rushed me and I felt a sharp stinging pain on my neck. It wasn't sharp enough to dull out that feeling of sudden ecstasy from his kiss, but I did feel a sting and it was prominent like a needle or a tight and forceful pinch.

Was he kissing me? Was this love?

Strange and disoriented, I felt my eyes close as my will to respond simply drained.

"What are you…"

I couldn't finish the sentence.

My eyes drifted to a close.

And that's all I remember….


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Something was hurting me. I slowly became aware of it, an annoying persistent pain on my arm. It brought me back to consciousness and sent alarm bells from all of my nerves into my slow moving brain. In the span of seconds the pain intensified until it was burning like fire. My eyes shot open and I looked down to see nothing but a shaft of sunlight shining through a crack in the curtains.

I yanked my arm back into the shadows and brought it closer to my face. It was red, like I had been out in the sun for hours and hours slathered in oil. It looked like a severe sunburn but how could that be? And where was I? The room wasn't familiar. It was small with one window, the one that was letting in the light, which was now blinding me. I squinted my eyes against it and tried to look around.

The curtain fluttered and for the first time I noticed that someone had been standing there holding it open. "JESSE?!" I shot up, the pain in my arm forgotten. "What the fuck?" I blinked but he was still there, creeping in the shadows by the window.

"Finally! You're awake." He pushed the curtain so it completely blocked the light and started across the room.

I sniffed recognizing all sorts of scents. Traces of dirty laundry made my nose crinkle in distaste but it was the smell of Jesse's icky cologne that really got to me. It seemed so strong, like it was actually on me. I couldn't erase it. "Is this your room?!" I looked down at the bed and saw blue plaid sheets. It definitely wasn't my room judging by the smells and the decor. I lifted up a pillow which was covered by a Spiderman pillow case and tossed it aside.

Jesse.

"What the hell is going on?" This was all too much even for me "We didn't?!" I shuddered at the thought of having slept with him. It wasn't his looks. He was cute and he was kind of sweet, but he was Beca's puppy dog and therefore not fling material.

"No, no," he said, eyes wide. "We didn't. No. Absolutely not. I wouldn't do that to-. No." He paused a second and I just stared at him because he was being super weird. That wasn't new for him, he was always a little jumpy, but still, nothing about this made sense. "Wait," he said, gathering himself. "What do you remember about last night?"

I pursed my lips and raised an eyebrow. "Well, first of all, you don't have to sound so against the idea." His face suddenly turned a dark shade of red and I couldn't help myself laughing. But there was something off about me. I felt kind of sick or something and that burn was starting to really itch.

"No, Chloe, seriously. I need you to tell me what you remember."

"Were you watching me?"

"Of course I wasn't- Why would you even ask that?" He turned towards the window and looked out but I noticed that when he tried to touch the sill where the light shone he jerked his hand away fast. It was strange and not like him.

"What's wrong with your hand?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said. "And anyway, I asked you a question, remember," he seemed upset with me. Or worried.

"Okay, you're being really weird Jesse. I don't even know how I got here."

"So, you don't remember?"

"Not really." Or, wait… Did I?

It was all a little murky, like fog was inhabiting every corner of my brain. Little pieces, images and snippets of sound, funneled back to me. Darkness with neon laser lights flashing. "I was at the club!" A smile crept onto my face and I felt kind of accomplished but that soon went away. "There was a guy." I stopped talking and idly scratched my arm where it hurt while Jesse stared down at me.

"And?"

His impatience was starting to get on my nerves. "Calm down. I'm trying to remember." I sniffed and scooted to the edge of the bed. My head felt weird and kind of heavy and I could hear weird, faint, noises in the distance. He sighed heavily and crossed his arms, tapping a finger on his arm. The sound of it was somehow so loud. It felt like it was happening inside of me and then I realized that I shouldn't be hearing it. I let out a breath and realized that I'd been holding it for far longer than I thought. My hands went to my ears and I shrank into myself.

"He was behind me." I whispered the words. "And I thought he was going to…" I looked up and saw pity reflected back at me.

"He did it to me too," Jesse said.

"What?" I clamored up and started toward him. "What did he do to me?!" I needed to know. I fingered the spot on my neck where I'd been bitten. There was nothing there. Was it a dream? Was this a dream? "Answer me!"

Jesse said nothing and we stood frozen for a moment until he walked to the chair in the corner and collapsed into it like a rag doll. "I'm not sure." He gave me a haunted look. "I think he turned us into…"

"INTO WHAT?"

I wanted to shake him. None of this made sense and all I could feel was rage building inside of me. It was unfamiliar but somehow satisfying. It filled me with strength and confidence. Not the kind I usually had. That was just knowing that I am awesome. This was something else. I felt like I could bend the world with my hands.

"Vampires."

There, with one word he completely took it all away. Deflated, I fell back onto the bed, sitting just on the edge again. "That's stupid." I shook my head and waved a hand. "No that's crazy." Vampires don't exist, except on TV, and then they're hot teenagers who are actually hundreds of years old. "I can't be a… vampire." Could I? Everything in me from top to bottom hummed with energy.

I looked up at him again, biting my lip and then releasing it. "Are you screwing with me?" I looked around to make sure no one was going to pop out and yell " _GOTCHA"_. He just looked back at me frowning. "Did Beca put you up to this?" I knew it wasn't Aubrey. She'd never do anything as silly as this.

"It's not a joke, Chloe."

"The hell it isn't." It was starting to look like this was real, like I wasn't just going to wake up again and everything would be normal. "Where are they?" I got up and paced the room, looking for places for people to hide. "Beca? If you're in here you better come out, right now!"

"She's not here." He rolled his eyes. "I wish she was." The sadness in his voice stopped me in my tracks.

Nervously, I looked to the closet and then the bathroom. When I looked back at Jesse I could tell for once that he was being serious.

"Wh… What does this mean?"

"I don't even know," Jesse said, defeated.

"But if this happened to you when did it happen?" I asked. I stood before him looking down. "And how-how do you know we're…" I didn't even want to say it again. All I could think was Voldemort Voldemort Voldemort. This couldn't be real. It couldn't be.

I had no strength. I was drained and so was he.

That man, he...

"He drank us," I said.

Jesse raised his head to stare up at me blankly.

"It's just like a horror movie," he said.

"I know," I said back. But I couldn't stop myself from feeling insane. I was talking for no reason. We needed to speak but neither of us could even muster up strength. And then there was that burn on my arm.

"Wait," I said. "So if we're vampires that means-" My eyes shot open as I rushed to the window and pulled the curtain open to let in all the light.

"WHOA!" Jesse said, springing up and pulling me back from the blast of sun. I felt his hands grip my arms and pull me back right as the sun hit my skin. He tried but he wasn't quick enough. I felt the rays cover me hot all over like a flaming blanket.

I screamed as he pulled me away and quickly shut the curtain.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" He yelled. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

I was too stunned to respond. He never really got angry, at least not that I had seen. And Beca never said...

"The sun," I said. At first it burned but that didn't last. Instead, it made me dizzy… All of a sudden I was unbelievably tired.

"There are ways," he said, calming once he could see that I was recovering. "Ways to cover yourself up and make it so you don't pass out but unless, unless..." He stopped speaking and I suddenly knew.

"Jesse?" I asked. It was too much to take in. The sun had literally drained me of my will.

"You need blood," he said.

"What?" I felt myself laugh.

"It's not funny Chloe, we're monsters."

"We're not," I laughed.

Somehow life had returned to my body since I was back in the shade. I was weak but not dead. At least, I didn't feel dead.

"I honestly don't see how you can be laughing about this," he said, sitting back down in his chair and holding his face in his hands.

I thought about getting up to comfort him but I knew my body wasn't strong enough right now to try and really move.

"We'll be okay Jesse," I said.

"How?" He scoffed, unable to laugh. His spirit was gone. He wasn't the same boy I knew. He definitely wasn't the boy that Beca fell for. Jesse was troubled, hurt. He had nowhere to run and now we were in it together.

"He was strong," I reminded. "All we have to do is find him." I was right. I was hopeful. It wasn't much but it was something we could do for ourselves. Right now we just needed a goal, we both did.

When Jesse looked up at me he seemed to see something in me he had never seen before.

"What?" I asked queerly.

"Beca was right about you," he said.

When he cracked a half smile I knew that whatever Beca had said about me it was a good thing. Something about me cheered him up and for that I was happy.

"Thanks," I said. I didn't have to know her exact words. Curiosity was beginning to creep in and eat at me though, just in this new mystery.

I sensed something then. It's hard to explain. I felt a tingling and two seconds after that my phone lit up and I had to squint to see the name as noise came loudly out of the phone speakers and disrupted whatever calm I had been feeling up until then.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"It's Aubrey," I said. Of course it was Aubrey. She'd be worried, I never came home…


	3. Chapter 3

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 _ **Chapter 3**_

The screen continued to flash and the contact photo of Aubrey smiled up at me. She would be out of her mind by this point and I shook my head not wanting to answer it but knowing that I had to. What could I say? _Hey, Aubrey, sorry I haven't been home but I got turned into a vampire._ No, that wasn't going to work.

"She's been calling every hour today."

I looked away from the phone and worried my lip. "What should I say?"

He just shrugged and sat there being no help at all. I was going to have to talk to her sooner or later or she would definitely call out the National Guard to look for me. For real. Her Dad was the commander.

I sighed and swiped right, putting the phone to my ear. "Hey, Aubrey." My voice came out cheerful and normal. One of my many talents has always been faking happy under pressure. I was the perfect cheerleader. Always.

"Chloe, where the hell are you?"

She was beyond angry. Her voice was colder than an Icelandic glacier. Not that I actually knew how cold that was but I could imagine. "Hey, yeah… sorry about that." I twirled my hair and turned on one foot, walking towards the other side of the room. "I kind of got drunk and fell asleep."

"Where are you?"

A better explanation better come to me quick because I really couldn't even fathom how I was going to get out of this. I turned around and covered the mic of the phone with my other hand. "She wants to know where I am." My eyes bore into Jesse. What the hell did Beca see in him again? He shrugged and motioned with his hand for me to keep talking.

"Uh, I'm at Danny's apartment off campus." That was going to get me in trouble but it was better than the truth.

"YOU'RE WHERE?" I could hear her keys jingle when she picked them up. "I'm coming to get you. Give me the address."

"No, Aubrey. It's fine. Seriously. I ran into him and he was really nice and he apologized and everything. Nothing happened." I felt horrible lying. I never lied to Aubrey. It was her biggest pet peeve.

"Fine? Chloe, he tried to trick you into having a threesome with some random girl he picked up while on a date with you." I could imagine her sweeping her hair back in that sassy way she had when she was defending my honor. "That's not fine. Now, tell me where you are and I'll come pick you up."

It didn't sound so bad. Aubrey might actually believe me and she always knew what to do. No, it was dumb. I definitely needed to figure out what was going on before I told her anything. _**If**_ I told her anything. This was way too much for me to handle and I wasn't half as practical and logic based as Aubrey was. Her head might explode if I told her I was a vampire and then actually convinced her of it. Hell, I wasn't even really convinced of it yet.

"No, just stay home. I'll be there. I promise it's okay." It hurt to say the words because all I really wanted right now was to be wrapped up in her arms. She was my safe space.

"Fine," she said coldly. "But hurry your ass up." A small part of me loved when she was mad but not mad mad. But, don't get me wrong, it was just a small part. The other 75% of me burned with disappointment and self-doubt. Sometimes I wondered why anyone liked me at all, especially someone as talented and beautiful as Aubrey Posen. It didn't matter how long we'd known each other, or what we'd already been through as a team, every extra day that she loved me was a day I was most proud and baffled by and today was no different. I didn't deserve her. She was much too good to me, always. The best friend a girl could ever have… And then more.

"Okay," I said, and I heard as she cleared a pained tickle from her throat and ended the call. "Thanks for nothing," I said. Jesse had been watching from afar and he looked guilty now after those words that were said just for him.

"Sorry," he grumbled.

"Not your fault," I said, realizing I let my anger get the best of me. "I'm sorry too." There was no point in both of us feeling like shit. "Now," I said. "About that whole… Walking in sunlight thing."

If I wanted to get home to Aubrey I would have to learn what Jesse already knew.

"Shit," he said. And I remembered. I needed to be fed.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

If I had known what Jesse was about to get me to do I might've protested a bit more but something happened and I can't quite explain it.

I've never been one for exotic foods. And it took me a while but after thinking a lot about that night at the club I realized that when I kissed that guy it was blood that I couldn't place on his breath, the smell and taste of human blood.

I must've been his second for the night or third or fourth. That made me feel cheap and angry and a little sad. But lets not talk about that now. That's not important, not really.

When I asked Jesse about food he just sort of made this face I'd never seen before it was like he was excited but then when I told him that he went straight back to looking like he felt, pathetic, downtrodden, a monster of strange sadness and unbeatable cravings.

I imagined right away that he'd be taking me to some blood bank. I'd watched enough episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to know that Vamps liked warm blood and fresh blood and blood from humans instead of animals.

But I guess that was showbiz. I never expected it to be so minimalistic and simple.

We sat around for a while. Jesse wouldn't explain what he had done when he left the room. Next thing I knew there was a delivery man at the door with a bag filled of who knew what.

Dead rabbits? Stolen blood donations? For a moment my mind reeled.

"What is it?!" I asked. I had to admit, I was a little excited.

"Sit," Jesse said. He pulled his desk chair out and I sat down and waited. Next thing I knew he pulled out a to-go container of what appeared to be some very normal soup. Well, next to normal.

"Soup?" I said. I was underwhelmed as you can very easily believed. Here I was hoping to go hunt someone down. Okay, not really, but come on… Take out?!

"It's not just any soup," he said. "It's Dinguan."

"Dinuguan?!" I said questioning him.

"There's blood in it," he said.

"Oh…" I tried not to seem as disappointed as I felt but let me tell you as soon as he used his hand to brush the smell of that soup towards my nose? Something happened to me, it was like a switch had been flipped. I felt my eyes grow wide and I was suddenly unbelievably ravenous.

Jesse had set some utensils down next to me but in my haste to feed I threw them off the desk and took to drinking the soup straight from the styrofoam like some sort of animal. I drank it so fast it must've only taken a solid minute.

When I was done I slammed the container down. There were little bits of animal meat and bone floating inside. I didn't know what I had just eaten really but I knew that I liked it.

"Wow," Jesse said. But he seemed amused by me. I wiped my mouth with my burnt arm and only realized after that I should not have done it because it stung.

"Holy crap," I said. I felt stronger. Instantly.

I stood up. I could feel the blood in me pulsing and rushing. I was alive. Really alive. Like more so than normal.

"It's weird right?" Jesse asked.

He stood back from me and just watched as I paced the room feeling adrenaline and strength. I felt as if I could jump an entire wall or lift a car. It was invigorating but I was too scared to test it out. What if I had super strength?!

"Soup." I said simply.

"Soup," Jesse said back.

I couldn't help it, I started to laugh.

"This is so weird," I reminded.

"It really is," he agreed.

"Okay well, anything else I should know?"

"It wears off fast. Dinguan. It's not human. I think we need human. And steak is better. Raw steak."

I walked to the bed and grabbed my purse. Raw steak sounded disgusting but I believed him now. I'd probably love it.

I could go now though. I could try.

Once I was at the door I hesitated and turned. "Does Beca know?"

He shook his head sadly. "I can't," he said.

"We'll beat this," I said.

"Hah," he laughed bitterly. "Ya know, I hope you're right."

"I have to be," I said. We didn't have time to think of this as forever.

"Chloe?" he asked, stopping me just as I was about to disappear from him again.

"Hmm?"

"Promise me you won't eat without me?"

"Okay," I said. But I wondered why.

"And… Don't get too close to anybody, alright? First few days," he said. "They can be touch and go."

I suddenly felt a world of sorrow for the lonely boy with the spiderman sheets. What would Beca do if he told her? She'd probably commit him. Or worse, just dump him straight away. At least if she committed him she'd come visit every now and again.

"Thanks Jesse," I said.

"See ya," he tried to be normal but it was obviously a lot to handle and he was uncomfortable about all of it, much more than I was myself.

"Wait!" He grabbed a big hoodie and handed it to me, followed by sunglasses that looked like ones you buy for cheap in the gas station. "Cover up at least. It'll help."

I had to get back.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

The whole way back to the house I was very aware of how dumb I looked. It was late afternoon in the Georgia summertime. A few people definitely gave me weird looks but I tried not to look back. I was very afraid of what would happen if I uncovered myself. I could already feel the energy I'd gotten from eating the soup fading. Maybe I should have eaten more.

The hoodie was big so I pulled my hands into the sleeves and I kept my head down so no sunlight could hit me directly. I was okay but I was beginning to sweat and not in a good way. It was so bright that I could barely see where I was going but I'd walked back to the Bellas house from here so many times before that it didn't matter much.

I walked through the gate and up the drive, realizing that I didn't even check to see where my keys were. I patted my pockets one at a time and then sighed. I was going to have to ring the doorbell. Forgetting my keys would piss Aubrey off even more. It was kind of a weekly thing with me. You'd think she'd be used to it. I'm absent-minded sometimes... Aubrey usually just rolls her eyes at me and unlocks the door but I always hate it and feel stupid. Why can't I just remember my things like everyone else?!

Why we need to keep the door locked during the day is beyond me anyway but it is Aubrey's rule, not mine. I stepped up to the door and held a hand out, finger extending to push in the button. Now, I just had to wait. A whole fifteen seconds later the door flew open and I was pulled inside.

The hood flew off my head and I found myself being smothered by two strong arms. Then just as quickly I was pushed back and I stood there bewildered.

"Two days, Chloe." Aubrey still had a firm grip on my arms and I could feel her fingers clutching me through the cotton of the hoodie. "TWO DAYS. No calls, no texts and you missed your classes. How are you ever going to pass Russian Lit if you keep skipping?"

My shoulders hunched and I half smiled up at her. "I'm sorry?" Her glare bore into me but being the object of her displeasure didn't feel like it normally did. Her anger excited me somehow. I could sense her fear. Aubrey might get a little uptight sometimes but she cared more than anyone that I'd ever met. My feelings for her had always been a bit confused.

We were somewhere between the lines that separated friends from more than friends. I struggled to define our relationship but most of the time I just let it be. We hooked up when we weren't with other people and we spent practically every day together doing things that couples usually did. I tried not to question it.

"I swear I didn't mean to but we ended up going somewhere and I left my phone"

"Where the hell did you go for two days? And why are you wearing all those clothes when it's ninety-five degrees outside?"

Two good questions. One of which I was going to ignore. "Um, Danny's parents invited us to their lake house." At least there was one true thing about it. Danny's mom and dad did own a lake house and I had been invited up there while we were seeing each other. Who was I kidding? the biggest part of it was a lie. I was totally going to hell. Not that I was really clear on the rules of vampires and getting into heaven. Maybe I should have asked Jesse how long I'd been gone. There were some seriously big questions I hadn't even thought to ask because I wanted to get home before Aubrey sent out the cavalry. Also, I just wanted to see her.

"I swear I'll never let it happen again and before you ask, Danny and I are not a thing. I promise." I pulled Aubrey closer in a play to distract her from the dubiousness of my story. I knew she wasn't going to buy it and I knew she would ask more questions but there was one sure way to distract Aubrey Posen when she was on a mission.

"Chloe…"

"Can we just go upstairs." I slowly blinked and looked right into her eyes, pouring all the seductive energy I could into my expression. Her mouth closed and she stopped just when she was about to protest and a queer kind of look came over her face. Her pupils dilated and her face relaxed.

"Upstairs," she echoed.

I blinked and so did she. Whatever weirdness just happened made me flash back to the night and how I felt when the vampire got close to me. Aubrey tugged at my hand and I walked along wondering what weirdness was going to happen next. For now I was just glad that she wasn't yelling at me.

When we got to our room I pushed her onto my bed and stood there over her. A sense of power filled me and for once I felt so strong in comparison. She was at my mercy. I liked it and I didn't. It was new and strange. I liked our dynamic. Not so much that she felt like she had to look after me but she was usually the one who threw her weight around. I just kind of started things off. In her eyes I could see that I could have her any way I wanted right now. Aubrey Posen was waiting for me to take her. Something about the slackness in her face and the situation made my stomach turn, or maybe that was just the weird ass soup that Jesse gave me.

I couldn't do it. I wanted to so badly but I couldn't. My whole body was screaming at me to just lean down and kiss her. I swallowed and tried to step away. My feet remained motionless until I stepped even closer. I was so not in control. "This isn't a good idea," I whispered.

She raised a hand for me to take and I did. Instead of giving in, I closed my eyes and tried to breathe but with each deep inhalation I caught her scent. I hadn't even touched her and she was ready. This was too much. Too fast. I dropped her hand and turned away. I felt exhausted with the effort of resisting.

And just like that I found the true meaning of hunger. The thought of blood and sex mingled in my mind, creating a perfect hell that I wanted so much to drink in. The beastly thing that I'd been turned into roared, wanting to be let out and I didn't know how to stop it. Two seconds and I was on top of her.

I leaned down and ran my tongue from her collarbone just above her t-shirt all the way up to just below her ear. She squirmed below me and I wanted so badly just to bite the perfect skin. I just wanted to taste her. Her arms tightened around my back and pulled me closer. My mouth was open, poised above her throat but at the last second I kissed her instead. How I managed it I'll never know but I just lost myself in the insistent push of her tongue against mine until I was able to pull back and roll away.

"Well, that was a hell of a thing."

This was really not going to be easy.


	6. Chapter 6 & 7

_Chapter 6_

All I could feel was my hand tightening into a fist and then stretching out again at my side. I had used that hand to stop myself. I knew it now, that's what did it. It wasn't just that I resisted. I had a hand at her throat, so close and so strong.

Without that little push I never would've stopped myself. It was a reminder for me.

 _ **You could kill her…**_

That's what the hand said.

And I didn't want that. Oh God, no. I didn't want that. Not ever.

"I.. I…"

"Chloe?" Aubrey sat up. She realized something was the matter. "Chloe, what's wrong?"

"I… I can't be here. Not now."

I felt it in me, that strength as it drained. If I couldn't control myself while I was strong what on Earth would happen once I lost my will to fight my own cravings?

 _ **I could kill her…**_

I almost did.

I ran.

I had no choice.

There was no time to dress or find sunglasses.

If I didn't leave immediately I could be responsible for killing my best friend.

With all that in mind, I couldn't get out of her room fast enough. I burst from the door and down the stairs. In my head I swore I could still hear the sound of Aubrey's quickened heartbeat as it pulsed and pulsed and pulsed. It was like I could taste what she'd be like and it called to me, begged me.

I was suddenly so thirsty for her which is exactly why I had to just run.

She chased me and yelled. She tried to stop me but I was gone and I couldn't turn back, not right now. Turning back could mean her death.

Once outside, the heat bit at me and stung. I ran so fast but there was no shade in sight.

I just needed to make it to Jesse's, that was all. I could do it.

I tried to keep my eyes open but the sun was weakening me quickly and I was so thirsty now because of her. I thought of my hand on her skin as I ran. I thought of my hand stopping me and keeping me from drinking her deep. I felt her heart and wished I could hold it.

"Almost there," I whined to myself as I felt my feet growing lazy and my sight somewhat fading.

I counted off my steps. _**Three… Two… One…**_

And I burst through the door and crashed against the side wall to hide from the sun.

I clutched my phone in my hand and slid down the wall feeling how powerless I had become. That was stupid, it all was.

The fuck was I thinking?

And then I blacked out…

 _Chapter 7_

For the second time in so many days I woke up in Jesse's bed. At least this time I knew why I was there. There was nothing about that experience with Aubrey that I didn't regret. Well, almost nothing. Despite it all she tasted like pure heaven. But, God was it stupid. So fucking stupid.

"What happened?"

Jesse sat in the corner just where he had been when I left. "I almost bit her." I choked on the words. I couldn't move. I was so tired and hunger burned my throat. "I could have killed her."

"I don't think we're really ready to be around anyone."

I nodded and closed my eyes again. "What should we do?"

For once he didn't shrug or dismiss my question. "While you were gone I came up with a plan."

My entire body felt like lead but I managed to wave a finger to indicate that he should go on.

"The vampire that turned us hunts at the club. That's where he got me and that's where I saw him with you. So, when it gets dark we go back there and wait for him, ambush him and then make him get us blood without hurting anyone."

I shook my head ever so slightly. "That's your grand plan?" I didn't even know what to say. It sounded kind of dangerous but there weren't many options open to us. It wasn't like we could just stroll into the hospital and steal blood. I was never really good at covert missions.

"Yeah, do you have something better to suggest? I mean this was sort of your idea if you think about it."

I groaned and did my best to roll over to the side. "No, but I still think we should be careful. Maybe we should just approach him instead of attacking him. He had to turn us for a reason, right? Vampires can't just make new vampires by biting people or everyone would be a vampire by now."

He looked away and huffed. "Fine, we do it your way."

"Okay."

I didn't want to talk anymore but I had to ask. "You didn't happen to get anymore of that soup, did you?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, the place closes at four and the bowl I brought you was their last batch for the day. Apparently, it isn't one of their most popular soups. Imagine that."

I couldn't help but smile. Sometimes Jesse could be kind of cute even if he was trying to win Beca over at the same time that I was. "Yep, shame. I thought it was pretty delicious. Weird feet parts and all."


	7. Chapter 8 & 9

**_Chapter 8_**

Instead of getting soup Jesse waited until dark to rush out to the store and buy us meat.

It was odd. He just brought back these huge raw steaks. Since it was October we had time until the club would be busy. It got dark early but never early enough for Vampires I guess...

Just like before I thought it was ridiculous, the idea of feeding. That is, until Jesse put the food down in front of me and all of a sudden I was eating it without complaint or question, as happy as a dog with a bone. Something took over me and I couldn't think. I just ate until it was all gone. Then I woke up to myself all sticky and strong.

From the look of him Jesse seemed like he felt just like I did. It was humiliating really. That's why neither of us talked before during or after.

I took a long bath after that and just sat in his tub feeling strange and deranged. We both agreed that we'd wait until at least 9 to go.

The time was dragging though and I wanted to be strong. At least without daylight there would be less to drain us. And Jesse was right, the steak was better than the soup at feeding our needs.

All I could think about was Aubrey though. I couldn't call. I couldn't text.

I sat in that tub with the warm water soothing my sore muscles and I thought about what it would feel like to drink her. Maybe I could do it without hurting her? There had to be a way right? I mean… I was still alive.

I suddenly wanted her more than I ever could before. I thought of her back there on the bed, the way her eyes narrowed, the way she panicked, her breath quickening as I waited to taste her. I'd always wanted to be bold like that with her but I never had the balls, not before. It was Aubrey's rules, always Aubrey's rules. And I had liked that before but there was something in us that I never let myself think about or talk about out loud. I never let myself tease her or control her. I liked that she controlled me. I usually liked that so what was this? Why was I different as a vampire? What did it mean?

I only wish now that I knew.

Instead I was sitting in Jesse's bathtub alone and wishing I could just taste, just a tiny piece of her, just a drop.

The more I thought about it the more dreamy my memories of us became. I had thrown her down on the bed like she was so light, just a feather. My mind flashed back and I felt it as my hand ventured beneath the water and down my body.

It excited me to think of her like that now. There was no danger in this. I was alone. I couldn't hurt her. Ugg, that memory of her. I replayed it again. What had I done? I'd taken her and thrown her on the bed. That's it.

My own breath sped and I gasped.

I was touching myself. Fuck, when did that start?

Shit… As soon as my finger slipped down between my legs my memory flashed back so fast to my tongue on her neck. I pressed hard without meaning to. In my mind my hand flew to Aubrey's neck, my teeth sharpened and I quickly pierced her skin and drank, sucking her warm blood into me and hearing as she gasped.

A knock came at the door and I muffled my own scream by shoving my hand into my mouth. My other hand was still between my legs and I was cumming hard, harder than I had in a long long time.

I could hear Beca's voice outside the door. Jesse had let her in.

I let my eyes drift shut as I collapsed into the bath and remembered the look on Aubrey's face as I bit her in my vision.

There was no saving me…

I was doomed…

Beca was asking Jesse questions and all I could think on the other side of his door was, _**but how can he resist her?**_

He'd been a vampire much longer than me. Our sexual visions were sharper now, more vivid. Even that orgasm caused me to scream. How long had he been dealing with this? And what if these cravings and urges only got stronger? I can't even be in the same room as Aubrey, I can't. So how is he doing it?

 ** _Chapter 9_**

I pulled the drain on the bathtub and stood up, water dripping down my body, I could feel every molecule of it as it slid away, splashing back into the tub and down the side onto the floor. I could just hide in here. Maybe he hadn't told Beca that I was here. I was afraid I would feel something like I did before. That I would want to hurt Beca to suck the life from her. I guess that wasn't really my intention with Aubrey. I just wanted a taste. I didn't want to hurt her and I hadn't.

That thought cheered me a little. Enough to step out of the tub and grab the towel that Jesse had given me. Curiosity got the better of me in the end. I didn't really know how we were going to explain why I was there or how my hair had gotten wet but I wanted to see Beca and I wanted to see Jesse around her with my own eyes.

Maybe I could figure out how he was managing not to rip her clothes off. I dressed in the clothes I had been wearing for days and neatly folded the towel, setting it on the hamper when I was done. The mirror was streaked with toothpaste stains. Boys really didn't know how to clean up after themselves. I frowned at my reflection and tried to fix my hair. It was the first time I'd seen myself since I'd become a vampire.

There was definitely something different. I was a little shinier. My complexion was very clear but almost even whiter than before. I'd always been pretty pale but now there was a sort of polish to my skin. I touched my cheek and moved my fingers over my skin. It was almost like porcelain.

The sound of Beca's voice made me jump. She was getting closer to the bathroom. I turned and opened the door, ready to face her. At least, I thought I was. I found them still in the bedroom. Beca was pacing and Jesse by the door.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"Chloe?"

"Hey, Beca, how are you?" I felt a tightness in my throat.

She looked back at Jesse and then at me. "What are you doing in Jesse's room?"

Jesse was about to say something but I got there first. "I had a bad night and Jesse helped me. He let me crash here. I was really sick." I pasted on a grin and willed Beca to take the story at face value. I was already sick of lying to people about this.

"Yeah, Chloe wasn't looking too good. I saw her at the club and it was quicker to bring her back here."

"Oh."

I was sure Beca was going to say more but she didn't. It was hard to tell why she was upset about me being there but that was normal. She hadn't ever really been able to make up her mind between who she liked more. I watched Jesse carefully. He was breathing normally and he didn't seem to have trouble being near Beca.

The smell of her was so different from Aubrey. It was kind of sweet but more on the earthy side. I liked it and it made me smile but I was able to control myself easily. What could be so different between the two? I'd had sex with Aubrey but Beca and I had never gotten that far. Maybe it was that or maybe it was because Jesse was there.

I wasn't really sure how to figure any of it out except to replicate the situation I'd had with Aubrey. That didn't really seem like an option since we weren't alone. Also, there was the little detail of not wanting to put Beca in danger.

"I guess I can leave you two," I started.

"No."

"No."

They said it at the same time and I couldn't help but laugh. "Okay." I didn't know if leaving them alone was really a good idea but I figured it was better if I at least went out in the hall. It was kind of tense in there and they couldn't exactly talk to each other with me there.

"Aubrey called me yesterday looking for you and she was about to organize a search party. Have you been here the whole time?"

Beca was going to go there and I couldn't distract her like I had Aubrey. "Um, I guess." I gestured to the bed beside me. " I was pretty out of it. Jesse just let me sleep it off." I put my right index and middle fingers up and curled my other fingers around them. "Nothing happened. Scouts honor."

I could tell she was still suspicious but she just nodded. "Did you at least call her? She wouldn't leave me alone because she couldn't find you and she thought I was hiding you or something."

This was going to be harder than I thought but at least neither of us was feasting on her like she was Christmas dinner. "Yep, I talked to her and everything."

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and glanced at the time. 8:49 "I should really go. I need to… go to the library. I've got a paper due." I rushed over and gave Beca a quick hug and turned her so that I was facing Jesse so I could mouth words at him. _Meet me downstairs._

Then I released her before I could really get attached to her scent and rushed for the door. "Thanks for everything Jesse. I'll see you later." WIth a flourish I opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind me. I felt bad about leaving him to get rid of Beca but we had to get over to the club before our asshole vampire turned someone else. I could still hear them talking through the door.

"Well, that was weird. I mean, Chloe's weird in a good way but that was weirder than usual. And that story sounded like complete bullshit so you better tell me what's going on."

I rushed away, not wanting to hear the rest of that conversation right now. Either way, Beca was pissed at us and I didn't' really want to know if it was me possibly being involved with Jesse or vice versa that made her more angry. I would be better off waiting for Jesse downstairs in the common area, far away from angry Beca.


	8. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

They didn't stay up there long. I imagine Jesse rushed to get rid of her. He couldn't just be immune to her. It I had stayed any longer I'd be obsessing over her neck and that mouth and the way her hair was pulled up just right.

Fuck.

I need to stop that.

And what was that in the bath.

Shit… Being a vampire is really making me more sexual than I'm used to. And I'm a pretty sexual person. I usually act on impulse. Except, of course, with Aubrey and Beca. I've never tried anything with Beca, even though there's a lot there between us. And with Aubrey I don't want to ruin things, it's better if she's in charge, always better.

Beca came down in a hurry before Jesse. She walked in front of me and squatted in front of me to touch me knees and speak softly. All of a sudden I could smell her like she was food.

Food. That was it.

We were full when Beca came over but that was beginning to slowly wear off.

I got it.

It made sense.

Beca's skin on mine sent shocks all through me and I got goosebumps immediately and twitched.

"Shit," she said. "Chloe, I need you to talk to me okay?"

"I, yeah, I mean, sure," I said, shaking my head. But I couldn't think with her hand on me and her scent wafting up and teasing me. I was ultimately distracted by her.

"Chloe, what the hell is going on?!" Beca was pissed.

"Look," I said, leveling with her. Unlike Aubrey, Beca was the sort of person that understood when people needed time and space from one another. She was always pushing people away. "There is something going on but I need time to figure it out. It's sort of well… It's medical," I said.

"Oh my God," Beca said, her face dropping.

"Do you have Cancer? Are you okay?"

"Beca," I laughed. "Believe me, it's not as dire as that. You sound just like Aubrey."

"So Aubrey knows?" Beca seemed upset again. She hated when I would tell Aubrey things and not tell her. She didn't trust Aubrey with me, which was crazy but it was very Beca to think that way.

"I haven't told her," I said. "You know more right now and believe me that's only because I don't want you to get the wrong idea of why I've been staying with Jesse. Beca, I would never-"

"Oh, I know," she said, her face going dark as her eyes trailed off and stared out into space. She bit the nail on her thumb and seemed to be thinking. The whole while though she never removed her hand from my knee and it burned hot in a good way. I could feel myself breathing faster and harder, my heart pumping. Being a vampire wasn't very different from being human. If anything it was just more extreme.

A normal conversation like this with Beca would delight me and turn me on a smidge but this was ridiculous. I could feel a drop of sweat falling from my collarbone down between my breasts. I could feel my face flushed with blood even though I was unsure if blood still ran through me.

What did any of it mean?

It seemed to just mean I was turned on.

I needed to get to that man.

Jesse fumbled down the stairs and shoved his wallet in his back pocket.

"Beca," he said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Jesus! I'm going!" She said standing.

"If you need anything," she said, standing back from me but starting with intensity and concern. I could tell she didn't really want to leave.

"I'll text you, I promise," I said.

If tonight didn't work I'd probably be in a world of trouble and in need of a friend.

As Beca left I shot Aubrey a basic text.

 _ **I'm going to see Danny again. Please don't worry about me. I am very sorry Aubrey. For everything. And I do miss you.**_

Whatever was going on between us, it wasn't safe. I needed to force distance, at least for now.

 **~~**

 **The club was even busier tonight than it usually was. That was going to make finding the vampire even harder. We were waiting in line and I just prayed that I didn't see anyone I knew, though it was a distinct possibility. If I happened to run into one or more of the Bellas the fact that I was here and with Jesse would get straight back to Aubrey.**

That was why I tried to look inconspicuous. I hadn't even had a chance to go get clothes but at least Jesse lent me a t-shirt. The jeans I was wearing were getting kinda old but it wasn't too bad. There were bigger things to worry about. The line moved and we shuffled forward. Not much longer now.

"So, if we see him then we can just go up to him and politely ask for some answers."

I was going over the plan. I needed to go over the plan.

"Uh… are you sure we shouldn't do this my way. There's two of us and I don't know about you but I feel a lot stronger than I used to be."

"Violence is not the answer." I rattled off the cliche and punctuated it with an eye roll. "Let's just see what happens. I'm really not feeling up to any kind of fighting." Not that I ever was. I was more of the lover type.

We made it to the bouncer and Jesse paid our cover charge. Thank god, I'd somehow managed to hang on to my ID. He checked it and secured a neon pink bracelet around my arm and made two big black X marks on Jesse's hands.

Inside it was insane. People were packed into the dance area and the bar wasn't much better. It was the only club near Barden and they did good business. College kids did love their jiggle juice.

"Okay, where should we start looking?"

I shrugged and pointed. The bar is good. At least we can hang off to the side and have a view of the dance floor. He came up to me at the bar. I'd never really thought about how the guy got Jesse but if it was the same way he got me.

"Wait, where did you meet him?"

The question kind of hung there with implication.

"Here," he said. But I could tell he was hiding something.

"Yeah, but where," I fought. "If we want to find him before he gets someone we might want to retrace the scene of the crime."

"Eh," just wiggled a bit. He didn't like the question. "It happened in the bathroom," he said.

"Oh no…" Poor thing.

"Yeah, it was weird," he said. "Fast but weird."

"Were you attracted to him?" I didn't think it was odd to ask but Jesse's face seemed to betray him and tell me things that he never would've said.

"It doesn't matter," he shrugged. "You know how vampires are."

"Sweet and dodgy," I joked. I liked to see Jesse outside of a theater. He was cute in his awkward way and I was starting to really get why Beca liked him. Twice now he'd tried to help me instead of pawning me off onto someone else. A lot of people wouldn't have been that kind to someone else.

"Ha!" Jesse said, noticing at once that I had paid him a compliment all of a sudden.

"Wait," I said, a sense of something came over me. There was something in the air and it was calling me to turn and see. I touched Jesse's arm and looked upwards to see that he felt and smelt it too. He took my hand and we both turned to see.

"It's him," Jesse said.

"Yup," I breathed back feeling all at once enticed by that creepy man's presence again.

We watched but I couldn't move.

"Are you stuck?" I asked.

"Yup," Jesse said.

The man with the magic looked to both of us subtly and gave a small nod. Immediately we hurried to sit on the barstools behind us. Out of nowhere a waitress came and dropped too drinks in front of us without even taking our order.

The three of us said nothing but we all stared back at the man.

"He's sexy," I huffed.

"Tell me about it," the waitress gulped. She must've been bitten too. She seemed equally paralyzed.

"What is he doing to you?" I asked Jesse.

"I'll give you one guess," he said. But he was too controlled to feel uncomfortable about it.

The man walked up the stairs to the stage where a few other guys were waiting. They didn't have his allure, not in my opinion.

"Alright, this is a very special night for those who don't know." The man squinted and he seemed to be looking right at us. "We've got a few of the gang together," he said. All of a sudden I felt myself stand-up. When I moved my eyes to the left I noticed that Jesse was standing too.

"Holy shit, what's happening," he gritted through smiling teeth.

"We've been meaning to get together like this for a while but it's been a long time in the making," the man lied.

"What is this?" I asked.

"It's okay, I'm with you," Jesse said. I felt his hand in mine and I squeezed. I was nervous but only because I had little to no control over my own body.

Jesse and I began to walk.

"This sucks," he said.

"I know," I said.

There was clapping as we made our way through the crowd that basically made a path for us with great ease.

"And here are the two mystery members. Give it up for Chloe and Jesse!"

We walked up the steps and suddenly control came back to us. I watched Jesse touch his chest and stomach awkwardly.

"You good?" I asked.

"Yeah," he smiled and scoffed. "What are we doing?" I heard Jesse grumble to the man.

"What you do best, monkey," he said.

"What did you just-"

"Calm down princess," the man said. That need for him returned to me but so did my anger and it was a dangerous mix. I could feel myself wanting to simultaneously kill and ride this strange man. He was handsome but his behavior was repulsive.

"You've got some nerve," I said.

"Just sing," he said. "I know you want to."

Suddenly I did want to.

Fucking bastard…

He was controlling us. Just like Dracula would or Edward or whomever, who even cares? He was making us doing things! Making us WANT to do things.

I could scream if I wasn't so suddenly excited to fucking sing.

I wanted to growl and fight him but instead when I opened my mouth the only thing that came out was a song.

But then the music started and I was ready. I looked at Jesse and knew. We were both smiling like we were insanely happy.

"I HATE THIS!" I said, smiling sick through my teeth.

"IT'S HORRIBLE!" He said back, his smile contagious.

We knew the song.


	9. Chapter 11&12

_Chapter 11_

We were singing Journey. REALLY? I wanted to climb up to where the vampire was and punch him in the face. Everyone knew I had an irrational hatred of Journey ever since Kent Calvin pulled up my dress at the middle school spring dance while Don't Stop Believing was playing.

I sang the words against my will, glancing at Jesse out of the corner of my eye. We weren't exactly still either. The same persuasive magic thing that was making us sing also made us dance. Not a choreographed dance or anything like that. Just some simple moves in time to the beat.

Before long it was like we were singing just to each other and having fun while doing.

 _ **Any way you want it, that's the way you need it! Any way we want it!**_

We switched off parts and I couldn't help but get into it after a while. There was no turning back. We both really did like to sing.

The guitar solo came and Jesse and I ran into Jesse's arms and we both started laughing our asses off until we were laying down on the stage and indulging in a bit of insane laughter.

"I THINK WE'RE IN CONTROL AGAIN!" I yelled to him over the tunes.

"I THINK SO TOO!" He said back.

"YEAH BUT WHERE'D HE GO?" I asked.

We both slowly got up as the background singers kept on singing their mantra of "any way you want it that's the way you need it."

From left to right we scanned but he was gone.

I didn't noticed but I was holding onto Jesse's body and he had his arm around my waist.

Just when I had given up scanning I saw something I could never have planned.

Beca was standing stunned in the center of the crowd and staring up at us. She was the only person on the dancefloor who appeared to be standing still.

"Oh fuck," I said, my face dropping.

"What is it?" Jesse asked. AS soon as he noticed her his face dropped too.

It'd be hard to talk our way out of this one.

To make matters worse I was starving again and I could smell Beca from the stage, that's how hungry I was.

"We gotta get outta here," Jesse said.

"Yes please," I said sadly.

There'd be no way to explain it right now. We looked to be cheating on her and in two very big ways. I just had to have faith that she would believe us when we finally came clean.

In the pit of my stomach I felt the meat from before completely dissolving like it had been useless.

I didn't want to live another day like this. There had to be a way to reverse it, there just had to.

 _Chapter 12_

Once we got our bearings we both chased after Beca. I pushed through the crowd but I couldn't' see her anywhere. She was so small that it was easy to miss her with all the bodies around. Catching her wasn't the only thing on my mind. Blood. I needed blood. Not just any blood but human blood. I felt my veins pumping on low preserves. It was like when you go to the gym and lift weights, once you get out of there you can feel your veins bulging from all the running need. I needed more blood and I needed it fast.

Jesse and I were fast and strong. I think I pushed a lot of people aside, a little more forcefully than I intended, but eventually we made it to the door and pushed out into the night. "Which way would she have gone?" I was panicking.

Jesse stopped beside me and huffed. "I don't know. I guess maybe home?"

"No, she wouldn't want to see anyone. I bet she went to her special spot."

"Where is that?"

Did he really just ask that? Or was I hallucinating? I looked at him, eyebrows raised. He didn't even know where Beca liked to go to be alone. I began to doubt how close they really were. "Just follow me," I said.

We ran again. Past the club and back towards campus. It was strange not to get tired at all. I was used to running for exercise. I even enjoyed it but each pump of my legs was like the last. The only restriction was the need to feed. I was about to be running on an empty tank.

We were half way across campus, not far from the little gazebo by the lake. So close, we should be catching up by now but I didn't see Beca anywhere.

"CHLOE!"

My head snapped to the right and there was Aubrey across the path yelling my name with one hand in the air. She ran towards us and I felt myself slow to a jog and then change directions.

"Where are you going?"

Jesse had slowed too and was looking after me. "You go talk to Beca. I need to take care of this."

I didn't even glance back at him, just ran towards Aubrey, feeling emptier with every step. She stopped a few feet away and just looked at me. So much confusion and fear. My eyes went from her eyes to her neck and down her body.

"Chloe…"

We were standing out in the open but I didn't care. I wanted her, every last bit. The breeze picked up her hair and it whipped against her face. The smell hit me, like a wall I couldn't dodge and it made me move. I strode toward her. She'd never looked at me like that before. She knew I wasn't exactly me but I didn't see any hesitation in her. She let me take her hand and pull her behind me.

For the first time since I'd met her, Aubrey Posen was letting someone else take the lead. There was a clearing with a scenic overlook through the trees and I stopped there in the middle. We were surrounded by neoclassical pillars. I only knew that because of art history class.

"What's going on?"

It wasn't a new question. I was still asking it myself. I needed to be honest, at least partially. "I don't know. I'm just… going through something and it's kind of weird and heavy and I don't know how to even tell you."

"Well, you need to figure it out."

She was mad again. I tried to look away but I couldn't. The fight in her eyes kept me. It was why I loved her. It was part of why I let her control me sometimes.

"Can we just not right now?" Her anger was starting to light my own. It wasn't an emotion I let surface often but now I felt it like second nature. Mixed in there was that liquid pool of desire that was going to be the death of her if I didn't watch it.

I didn't want to. She stepped up to me, challenging evident. "That's not how this works, Chloe." She let go of my hand. "I ask a question and you give me a straight answer."

I didn't mean to laugh. I really didn't. I had no answers. I only had an insane story and more questions. It just made her more angry.

"Fine," she said and started to walk further into the overlook platform. "If you can't be serious I don't even know why I'm trying."

"Aubrey wait." I followed and reached out. She turned in that instant and we were close. Far too close. She licked her lips and looked down at mine. That was all it took.

I was on her, kissing and pushing her back against the stone pillar. At first it surprised her and she seemed uncomfortable, her arms were out, parallel to the ground. When she opened to me her hands slipped into my hair and down to my cheeks.

She let me do it and I could feel her give in. I seemed to have a little magic of my own but I wasn't sure if it was because I was a vampire or if I just had it all along and never knew. I broke the kiss and my mouth found her neck.

She turned and arched her neck and I pushed her hair out of the way. This time the warning bells were lost in the faint sounds of the night. Crickets and cicadas buzzed in the previous deadness of night and their song was joined by the small moans that Aubrey was making in her need for me.

My mouth watered and I opened it wide, baring my fangs. I didn't know why or how but all of a sudden I had pierced her without holding back. My fangs sunk into her skin so easily and I naturally began to just suck and taste her. Rich red, it rushed into my mouth and I swallowed quickly. It was better than I even imagined. It was warm and thick and it was Aubrey concentrated and pure. I'd kissed her before but that was nothing like this, this was better. I heard her small sound of pain give way to more pronounced relish.

It was as good for her as it was for me. I held her body against mine. She had gone slack but I was more than strong enough to support her. In my arms she felt a ragdoll, all small and precious. I drank and drank of precious life until I knew from instinct that it was enough. Anymore and I could hurt her. The ecstasy I felt from drinking her was masked by my own delicious terror. I almost wished she was drinking me. Knowing the panic was necessary and real, I slackened my jaw and pulled back from her skin, licking the tiny holes that oozed blood until they were clean and the coagulation set in, I pulled away from her and felt proud that I had stopped.

She lay her head back against the pillar for a moment and I just watched her there listless, unsure of what I could possibly say or do to explain. I had taken advantage of her and I felt bad. I didn't know if it would have been worse if I had drank from some random person but I knew it wouldn't have been as good. I felt ugly, dirty for thinking it.

She lolled her head to the side, her consciousness returning, and then she opened her eyes, straightening up in my arms. "Wha- ah… What did you just do?" She dazedly stared, her eyes slow to open and focus and see. There was no malice in her gaze. She was confused and she had every right to be.

 _ **Monster…**_ Isn't that what Jesse had said?

I pursed my lips and then took a breath. "I'm a vampire." Her eyes went full wide. "I got turned into a vampire." I needed it out of me. I needed her to know.

This wasn't about some ex or some medical thing. Aubrey needed to know. I loved her too much not to share it with her.

"CHLOE BEALE! THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS VAMPIRES."

I just looked at her and smiled. "Tell it to the fangs." I opened my mouth to show her and her mouth fell open in disbelief.

"Surprise!" I smiled, keeping my sharp teeth out for her to recognize and then see.

In retrospect it probably wasn't the best thing to say but whatever.


	10. Chapter 13

_Thanks for the reviews guys!_

 _Becs, there is a lot of Chaubrey in this first part but we haven't really decided what it's going to be in the end. We are actually planning a sequel with an interesting twist. There's quite a bit more written than we've posted so far._

 _kissedbyarose13, Glad you were surprised. ;) Gotta hand it to Chloe's bad ass not really but really jokes._

 _Chapter 13_

After it hit home that we'd just had sex against a pillar in the woods. I didn't care. I'd done it in worse places but Aubrey had a little harder time with stuff like this. I straightened my shirt and then reached out to do the same for her. She was so out of it that she'd put the wrong buttons in the wrong holes.

"Here," I said.

It felt good to take care of her for once. She let me rebutton her shirt and smooth it out. Her khaki shorts had a little stain from where I'd stepped on them but she was a whiz at laundry. I was sure she could get it out. My clothes had come off too but they were in better condition since I'd tossed them into the night. They just happened to land safely on top of some bushes beside the railing.

"Can we talk about this now?"

It was a demand. I brushed my hair back away from my face and cleared my throat, putting my hands on hers. "Of course."

"Okay," she said. Her hands didn't move to take mine but she didn't push me away either. "This is all just a lot to comprehend. I've never believed in anything I couldn't see or taste and vampires was one of those things. Just stupid myths that people used to explain things they couldn't understand."

She shifted and her hands slid from under mind. "But here you are and I can tell you're different and it's weird."

"You don't like me anymore?" I didn't mean to sound like a pouty child but my heart sank as she explained.

"It's not that… obviously." She rolled her eyes and blushed. "If anything I like you more but that's weird for me. You know it's hard to let someone else…"

"I know." I didn't need her to finish. It wasn't just the vampire thing that was wigging her out. It was that I was the one who took her. "But maybe we just need time to get used to it. Can't you feel it though? What we just did? We were so connected. More than ever."

"Yeah, it was kind of amazing," She stared at her feet but I could see the smile on her face.

"Listen," I said, running a hand through my hair. "I really haven't figured out the vampire thing yet. I went out to de-stress and some cute guy was hitting on me and the next thing I knew I woke up in Jesse's bed and I was a vampire."

"What?!" Her head shot up and her hands shot up in a defensive position. "You woke up with Jesse? You slept with him? You know I hate him."

I shook my head. That would be why she would be pissed about it. "No, I didn't sleep with him. He got turned by the same guy awhile back and he saw me with him so when he found me he knew what happened."

"Wait, so Jesse's a vampire too?" She rubbed her lips with her fingers. "That makes sense actually."

"Aubrey!"

"What? That's besides the point. So, you're both vampires and you've been running around feeding off of people?" Her face scrunched. "Eww. That is so not right."

"No, I haven't fed off anyone but you!" I reached out again and grabbed her hand but this time I gripped it so she couldn't let go. "Seriously, I looked into her eyes. You're really the only person I've wanted to bite that much."

I realized how ridiculous this conversation was about two seconds after I said the words and her look told me she was on the same page.

"I'm not sure that's a good thing, Chloe."

She blinked and looked away. She was actually scared of me, and she was right. "Jesse has been feeding off of animal stuff like this weird Vietnamese soup and raw meat. He gave me the same stuff but it isn't enough. We get tired really fast and we need real blood."

She shivered and I knew it was from the cold because I could feel her hand. Unfortunately, mine was even colder but I didn't feel it. I couldn't. I knew I should check on Jesse and Beca but I didn't want to leave Aubrey. We had just gotten to a place that I felt okay with and being near her was kind of automatic. I felt even closer to her than ever.

"Let's go home," I said.

She just nodded and pushed up off the pillar. We started walking and I pulled out my phone to text Jesse.

 _I'm taking Aubrey home. Guess we will have to try again tomorrow night. Let me know you're okay. I probably won't be back tonight._

We didn't say anything on the way, just processed. I could tell she had a million questions. Her mind whirred like a computer. It was easy to read her features. It was something I'd always liked about her. She really couldn't tell a lie.

My phone vibrated in my hand and I lifted it to check the message.

 _Okay. Found Beca. She's freaked out but we're both okay. Taking her back to her room. Text me if anything happens._

I put my phone away and took Aubrey's hand. It was natural to walk like this with her but I knew it was different now. We had blasted "just friends" out of the water. There was no grey area anymore, not after what just happened. We'd flirted at it a lot. We'd had our special nights where one of us was just sad. We had excuses. Always.

But this? I mean, what we just…

What we just did was solid; concrete.

There was no excuse for it. No way it could be misinterpreted as anything other than 100% attraction and want.

Briefly, I attempted to think about it all. It meant something huge for us. Too huge. There was no way Aubrey would be ready to go into that conversation, not now. For now I just needed to concentrate on showering and changing clothes.

That before? It wasn't me and it was. Becoming a vampire had given me a free-pass to try and take the things I wanted. I couldn't tell right now if that was a gift or a curse but it did frighten me a bit. I wished we could talk about it but I knew Aubrey too well. That was way too much heavy petting for her to handle along with vocalized emotions. She'd need a break and I'd give her that, for now.

The house was empty. Weird for a Sunday night. "Where is everyone?"

"Some concert," she answered.

"Oh." We walked up the stairs and she dropped my hand. "They didn't invite you?"

She looked back. "They did but unlike them I was too worried about you to go. Not that I wanted to anyway."

Our room was in the top of the house. Technically it had been an attic at one point but they had refurbished it to serve as another bedroom and it was actually the most spacious of all the rooms. It was kind of perfect.

I went straight for my closet and grabbed some yoga pants and a tank top. "I need to shower. Are you going to be cool?"

She gave me a withering glare. "You don't need to babysit me, Chloe."

"I know," I said. I dropped my hands to my sides and half shrugged. "I just dropped a lot of weird stuff on you tonight and I didn't know if we were still okay. I guess. I just… "

"We're okay," she said.

I sighed and let my head hang a little. With a nod I left her to think. I knew she probably just needed time to process things but I was afraid she was going to pull away or worse be gone when I came back.

With those fears in mind I vowed to take the fastest shower I'd ever taken in my life. As I started the water, I felt everything rush my mind at once. It was weird. It was all just so weird.


End file.
